Anime Review: Princess Tutu

PRINCESS TUTU: Don’t let the girly themes put you off

            The story follows Ahiru, a duck who has been given the power to transform into Princess Tutu. She is tasked to collect the Prince’s heart shards, which are scattered among the townsfolk of Gold Crown Town.

            First, take note that this is under the Mahou Shoujo sub-genre, so it does have the necessary formula for a Mahou Shoujo story -- a magical girl, a prince charming, and of course a villain. But don’t let these feminine sensibilities turn you off. If anything, these themes add flavour to the show’s treatment, especially for those who are not very into Mahou Shoujo.

            The ballet theme is an interesting incorporation to the treatment. It has given room for the anime to utilize renditions of famous ballet soundtracks such as Swan Lake. It has also given the impression of a musical drama. Really, the show feels like a theatrical play. It is very artistically done.

            The story is also worth noting. It interweaves elements from fairytales and realist stories, and it has a good reason for doing so (will not be mentioned here to avoid major spoilers). When these elements are interwoven with the ballet theme and its theatrical impressions, the show appears to be very feminine, but not in the way that is irritating and off-putting, but in a way that is very interesting and engaging.

            There are, however, problems in the storytelling. The storytelling has the tendency to be monotonous, particularly in the first halves of both seasons. The episodes herein almost appear episodic because they have unique stories to tell. But these unique stories advance the overall story, so they are not technically episodic; they just appear that way because of the formulaic storytelling.

            To be fair to the first halves of both seasons, they do trigger emotional responses, primarily because of the underlying messages contained in them.

            The second halves of both seasons completely destroy the monotony of their respective seasons. They have their own twists and turns, often surprising and tragic.

            Speaking of tragedies, Princess Tutu has an interesting pool of characters, because their backgrounds are tragic in one way or another. It is also important to note that Princess Tutu has a small pool of characters, so the prominent characters have balanced screen-times. The background characters, even though they do not share the same amount of screen-time, are not dull.

            If there is anything negative I could say about the characterization, that would be the blandness of the Prince. Yes, I understand that the pieces of his heart are missing, that is why he is void of emotion. But I think the creators overdid it.

            Overall, Princess Tutu is an interesting watch. The story, even though it has the tendency to be repetitive, is a story worthy to be told. This is because of the underlying messages that primarily concern fate and the power to change it. This story is presented in a manner that is both artistic and feminine, and it is surprisingly appealing. The characterization is carried primarily by Princess Tutu herself, and I admit that she is an interesting perspective in the story the creators want to tell.